Sunday, December 30, 2012

RCI- Till we have a new way out

RCI-No other way out till we have a new council!

"I will not let go the clinical psychologist's. I have brought under RCI not
only clinical psychologists, but also psychologists and psychiatrists (leaving
aside other professionals and "para" professionals) working in the area of
rehabilitation. Now you have approached to take out the clinical
psychologists. And you did not want other psychologists in rehabilitation to
be protected by you. So, if you are representing the entire psychologists of
the country, (which is more than 10,000,) I may rethink. If you say that "We
clinical psychologists are more privileged and we should be kept out, and you
keep the psychologists". I may as well regulate all of you, since there is no
other council is regulating you.

But then again it is difficult since the psychiatrists of this country are
also facing a similar issue with RCI. But I have to find out whether the
course of psychiatry is also brought under RCI, as we have done with your
MPhil course".

To start a professional course, at present there are different regulatory
bodies for different professions. For example, a course Engineering has to be
recommended by the University, and get the approval of All India Council of
Technical Education. The same pattern is followed in other disciplines-
Medicine-Medical Council of India, Nursing-Nursing Council of India, Teaching-
National Council of Teacher Education, which regulates the B. Ed programme
(excepting those on special education which is regulated by RCI)

Though you had professional organisations and institutes that acclaim high
status and were aware of the need for more clinical psychologists in this
country, what have you done so far? In that respect RCI should be credited
for facilitating to start clinical psychology programmes in different parts of
the country. Within a span of three years, three more centres came up.
Probably the number would increase within a couple of year's time, since there
is a great demand for the courses. Would you clinical psychologists consider
this as a negative aspect of RCI? Do you think that 12+12 clinical
psychologists (of which only the service of 12 are effectively available
within the country) per year is enough for taking care of the mental health
needs of the country?. In the area of "rehabilitation" alone we require the
services of more clinical psychologists for implementing the programs as we at
RCI visualize.

So what is wrong in we regulating you, since your work is closely linked to
us? You cannot escape from this at the moment. So as per the rules, if you
like it or not, you have no other option. If you want to be a clinical
psychologist, you have to get trained in one of the institutions accredited by
us-till you bring your own alternative arrangement through an act of
parliament.

Now the choice is yours. After passing out you may register yourself with us
or not. If the psychiatrists also loose their case, you cannot get out from
here. Even if you have an independent council, for those working in the area
of rehabilitation, you need to be regulated by us - like the doctors who have
a separate council, but those psychiatrists who practice in our area, need to
get our accreditation too. But if you are influential enough to make enough
lobbying you may be able to take out the course and give it to a "new
council", if there is one. If you feel that you need legal protection, you
may register with us. If you do not want you need not"

Wrote on Mar 15, 2004 11:05 am

1 comment:

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